A grassroots grant program is giving residents in East Baltimore the tools and funding to transform their blocks one project at a time.

Love Your Block Baltimore, a mini-grant initiative led by the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs, Living Classrooms Foundation, and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, awarded $1,600 each to three community organizations in the Belair-Edison neighborhood on Tuesday.

"Love Your Block is a community-led initiative that really empowers community residents to implement some important and impactful projects in their neighborhood," said Imani Yasin, from Love Your Block Baltimore.

Empowering the youth through community service

Among the recipients is Afiya Baltimore, which is supporting youth in cleaning and maintaining the business corridor near Belair Road and Erdman Avenue. The group is working to foster leadership and responsibility among young people through hands-on community service.

"We're here to empower our student leaders, community partners, and residents through acts of service to improve the neighborhood," said Afiya Baltimore's Scott Johnson.

At Clifton Park's Mother's Garden, Betty's Safe Haven is focusing on beautification and education by involving youth and adults in trash removal and flower planting.

"Our people need us, so we must be the change that we want to see," said Betty's Safe Haven founder Erica Quarles. "With this grant, we'll raise up our children to go out into the community, teach them how to foster, and also give back."

The third grant recipient, B.L.O.C. Inc. (Building Leaders of Our Community), is using the power of basketball to promote public safety and personal development. Partnering with the initiative Stand For Something, the program engages teens in summer scrimmages, mentorship, and training sessions.

"We're teaching them basic skills, we're going to have mentors, professional basketball trainers... we need to save as many of our kids as we can in this community," said Fard Myles, who helps lead the program.

Love Your Block's mission

Love Your Block's mission is to invest in resident-led efforts that clean, green, and improve safety in Baltimore neighborhoods. The next round of mini-grants will open on Friday, September 5, for the McElderry Park neighborhood. Selected applicants can receive up to $1,600 in funding.

The program is also recruiting Community Ambassadors—volunteers who help lead neighborhood events and spread the word about upcoming opportunities.

For more information or to apply, follow @loveyourblockbmore on Instagram.